Cricket is the new pickleball for Barrie youth
![Barrie Arts and Sports Academy's cricket camp A young boy swings at the ball in Barrie Arts and Sports Academy's cricket camp, Sat., Aug. 10, 2024 (SUPPLIED)](/content/dam/ctvnews/en/images/2024/8/12/barrie-arts-and-sports-academy-s-cricket-camp-1-6997191-1723468442983.jpeg)
Painting, violin and cricket are all under one roof, so to speak.
The new Barrie Arts and Sports Academy aims to help children succeed, no matter where their interests lie.
And right now, it's playing cricket.
"The demand for cricket in Barrie is very real," said the academy's president, Nithin Liviero.
"You can see the game being played all over the city."
To his point, the Simcoe County District School Board held its first-ever cricket tournament this past June.
Teams from 10 local high schools made up of almost 200 students took part. Many high school students on the field said it was their first time playing cricket.
Liviero said in response to this demand for more organized play, the academy is launching its inaugural cricket league, 'Super League Barrie,' which will play between August 31 and September 15, for local teams.
Due to the short timeline, there will only be eight Barrie teams.
- Download the CTV News app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates sent to your email inbox
"We are still receiving calls from other local teams eager to join. Next year, we plan to extend the season and include more teams," said Liviero.
This past weekend, the Barrie Sports and Arts Academy hosted a free clinic, where a dozen kids aged 6 to 12 got a feel for the game.
Liviero said one of the challenges of playing cricket in Barrie is the availability of one clay cricket pitch at Maitland Park.
"Many of the baseball diamonds in Barrie are being used for cricket in the evenings, even though they are not ideal for the sport," he said.
Both violin and painting lessons are available at the academy on August 24.
With files from Mike Lang
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6993663.1723166222!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
U.S. presidential historian predicts results of November elections. Here's who he says will win
An American presidential historian is predicting a Kamala Harris presidency as the outcome of the upcoming U.S. elections in November.
NDP MPs embrace distance from 'radioactive' Trudeau brand, as Singh convenes caucus in Montreal
Just days after demolishing his deal with Justin Trudeau’s Liberals, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh is holding a three-day strategy session with his MPs in Montreal, where his MPs are embracing their new-found distance from what one called Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's 'radioactive' brand.
Inquiry into U.K. hospital where a nurse killed 7 babies will not review evidence against her
An inquiry into an English hospital where a neonatal nurse was convicted of murdering seven babies and trying to kill seven others began Tuesday as her supporters push to clear her name.
Buyers say they lost life savings to a Saskatchewan company selling luxury vacation condos
In 2022, Tanya Frisk-Welburn and her husband bought what they hoped would be a dream home in Mexico.
Judge reserves decision on Hoggard bail attempt as singer seeks SCOC leave to appeal
A justice with Ontario's Appeal Court has reserved her decision on whether Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard should get bail as he tries to appeal his sexual assault conviction at the country's top court.
Canadian fast food chains create value menus to win back customers
Canada’s restaurant industry is in a slump as money conscious consumers are eating out less and spending less when they do go out.
7-Eleven ordered to pay B.C. woman $907K for pothole injury
A British Columbia Supreme Court judge has ordered 7-Eleven Canada to pay a woman more than $900,000 in damages after she tripped on a pothole and broke her ankle in the parking lot of a convenience store.
Viral Olympian Raygun ranked No. 1 breaker in the world by sport's governing body
Australian breaker Rachael Gunn, the Olympian widely known as B-Girl Raygun who went viral after her performance at the Paris Games, is now ranked the No. 1 breaker in the world.
Forgotten Cheetos snack bag can have 'world-changing' impact, U.S. national park says
A U.S. national park is cautioning tourists about how a small bag of Cheetos could have an enormous impact.